SND to kick off presales on Abbé Pierre – A Century of Devotion at the AFM
- Stealing focus in the line-up is Frédéric Tellier’s upcoming film, a WY and SND production starring Benjamin Lavernhe and Emmanuelle Bercot, which will soon begin shooting
Now steered by Ramy Nahas, the international sales team of the French group SND are determined to secure good deals at the AFM (American Film Market), which is due to unfold online this year, from 1 to 5 November. Shining bright in the line-up are two new titles, presold on the basis of their scripts, notably Abbé Pierre – A Century of Devotion [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Frédéric Tellier
film profile], which is Frédéric Tellier’s 4th feature film after SK1 [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (nominated for 2016’s Best First Film and Best Adaptation Césars), Through the Fire [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (1 million admissions in France in 2018) and Goliath [+see also:
trailer
film profile].
Produced by WY Productions and SND, Abbé Pierre – A Century of Devotion will begin filming in December with Benjamin Lavernhe leading the cast, flanked by Emmanuelle Bercot. Written by the director himself, and Olivier Gorce (nominated for 2012’s Best Adaptation César via Omar Killed Me [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), the story follows Henri Grouès, who was born and raised within the Catholic religion, in his determination to become a priest. But the Second World War breaks out and he decides to join the Resistance. Having lost a friend on the battlefield and found himself face-to-face with the horrors of war, but also the beauty and power of brotherhood, Henri Grouès becomes a new man: Abbé Pierre. From the end of the war until his death in 2007, he lives a number of lives and fights a number of battles. A member of parliament and the founder of the Emmaüs charity, he fights for the homeless and to lend a voice to those who need one. A major figure in France, Abbé Pierre crosses paths with Charlie Chaplin, De Gaulle, Einstein, but as a humanist, he made a point of meeting the needy. His selflessness earned him the respect of his peers and a place in people’s hearts, and the impact of his acts a place in history.
The online AFM will also see SND kicking off screenplay-based sales on Champagne! by Nicolas Vannier, which is now in post-production. Starring Elsa Zylberstein, François-Xavier Demaison, Stéphane de Groodt, Éric Elmosnino, Sylvie Testud, Stéfi Celma and Valérie Karsenti, this Radar Films production (in league with SND and Dog One Production) revolves around five individuals (three men and two women) who have been friends for 30 years and who meet up one weekend in Champagne for the stag party of one of the boys. But the unexpected arrival of his beautiful fiancée upsets the group’s dynamic, stirring up things unsaid and personal disputes…
The SND team are likewise set to pursue presales, based on promo reels, on Jérôme Salle’s thriller Kompromat [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which will be ready to go in the second half of 2022, on Patrice Leconte’s Maigret [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and on the comedy Employee of the Month [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Jérôme Commandeur (who’s also starring in his movie, alongside Laetitia Dosch, Pascale Arbillot, Gérard Darmon, Christian Clavier and Valérie Lemercier – due for release in France on 16 February 2022).
Well worth a final mention are the screenplay-based presales set to be launched on Éric Barbier’s Princes of the Desert (currently in production and starring Alexandra Lamy in its cast) and post-production films The Book of Wonders by Lisa Azuelos and Julia(s) by Olivier Treiner.
(Translated from French)
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